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Its Time to Tank

I’m still scratching my head as to why Ainge didn't do what Portland did.

A few more games ain't gonna make any of our players that much better next year.

So is it pride?

Is it not wanting to draw negative attention to ourselves?

Not wanting to skirt the NBA tanking rules?

What is it?
He, like basicallly everyone else, under-estimated the team’s ability to win, so he ****ed around and found out.

In hindsight, he 1000% pulls out the stops.
 
He, like basicallly everyone else, under-estimated the team’s ability to win, so he ****ed around and found out.

In hindsight, he 1000% pulls out the stops.
This
 
The Jazz tanked in the sense that they got rid of key players who helped them win games. Then they effectively shut down Clarkson and Sexton with 15 or so games to go. However, the players that were active played hard and played to win.

This year was very unusual because teams were bunched together so tightly in the standings. From a tanking perspective, the Jazz could lose a handful of games within a span of 2 weeks and drop from the 5th seed down to the 11th seed. Only the most minimal tanking was required to get a top-10 pick this year. As it turned out, the Jazz had a few flukey wins over teams like Boston, Sacramento and OKC that I'm sure Ainge would have preferred to lose. Just a few more losses, and the Jazz would be looking at a top 6 or 7 pick, which would all but ensure getting Walker, Whitmore or a Thompson.

I'm guessing the Jazz would like to be sitting where the Blazers are, but Portland beat us to the punch when they shut down Dame.
Oh I'm not disagreeing on the post ASB tank. That is real, albeit still rather feeble because we got a bunch of scrappy guys fighting for their NBA lives with enough skill and experience to make a dent.

My only reason to challenge the comment was that the trade was not very tanky. We didnt gut the team much.

To simplify:
Instead of Kessler/Vando we had Kessler/Jones
Instead of JC/Beasley we had JC/Ochai
Instead of Conley/Sexton we had Sexton/THT

And then we added new guys who might become pieces. Development and long term cap & roster improvement.
 
Next year the Jazz would need send their coaches on vacation. Hardy and his staff is the issue. This team under Hardy might never be good at tanking. Fortunately, Ainge and company is good at trades - I would just lean heavily into that, and forget about a full tank job.
 
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So if I have my bearings right (without looking), if the Jazz beat LA they will likely tie with Dallas and all of that stupid ****.

Could’ve been tied for 8th and now might tie for 10th + the all-important odds involved.

The Nuggets weren’t tanking, they were just ambivalent. At a certain point, Hardy has to start pulling **** on purpose. This is one thing that separates Popovic from everyone else.
 
So if I have my bearings right (without looking), if the Jazz beat LA they will likely tie with Dallas and all of that stupid ****.

Could’ve been tied for 8th and now might tie for 10th + the all-important odds involved.

The Nuggets weren’t tanking, they were just ambivalent. At a certain point, Hardy has to start pulling **** on purpose. This is one thing that separates Popovic from everyone else.
I really don't get it. Don’t Hardy and Ainge talk?
 
I think DA did a great job. We finish in the lottery. Position could have been better but he manage to keep a strong base for a quick rebuild. Exactly what we need as we can't go for years of mediocrity. Smart draft, one good FA and we may be good in one year or two.
 
He, like basicallly everyone else, under-estimated the team’s ability to win, so he ****ed around and found out.

In hindsight, he 1000% pulls out the stops.
Yeah but don’t you think in the Denver game he could at least have had a word with Hardy at half time and told him what’s what?

Come draft time improving just a few spots would be like getting blood out of a stone.

I mean all it takes is just a bit of common sense.
 
Wonder if we'll look back at this season and come to think that the worst move for the tank was releasing Bolmaro.
Yes yes yes. I said this at the time too. He would have been great for our tank. I don’t understand that move at all.

And then signing Dunn? Is Dunn gonna be a long term piece? If not why gave the guy a chance to play his heart out and audition for other teams and worsening our draft spot in the process?
 
Yes yes yes. I said this at the time too. He would have been great for our tank. I don’t understand that move at all.

And then signing Dunn? Is Dunn gonna be a long term piece? If not why gave the guy a chance to play his heart out and audition for other teams and worsening our draft spot in the process?
Dunn is probably a long term piece.
 
Yeah but don’t you think in the Denver game he could at least have had a word with Hardy at half time and told him what’s what?

Come draft time improving just a few spots would be like getting blood out of a stone.

I mean all it takes is just a bit of common sense.
Oh-My Agbaji was killing it, you cannot bench a rookie having a great game, in front of a bunch of Family's and young fans who want to get a win against the best team in the West.
That kid is proving he was just as much of a prize in many ways as the Finnisher was. Not to mention he just increased his value if Ainge decides to do like DA does and uses him as trade bait.
 
Oh-My Agbaji was killing it, you cannot bench a rookie having a great game, in front of a bunch of Family's and young fans who want to get a win against the best team in the West.
That kid is proving he was just as much of a prize in many ways as the Finnisher was. Not to mention he just increased his value if Ainge decides to do like DA does and uses him as trade bait.
No one would even remember this game come draft time. But it’s possible we miss out on a target because of 1 inconsequential win.
 
Yeah but don’t you think in the Denver game he could at least have had a word with Hardy at half time and told him what’s what?

Come draft time improving just a few spots would be like getting blood out of a stone.

I mean all it takes is just a bit of common sense.
Yeah, I don't get the "coach's job isn't to tank" argument. Jason Kidd obviously got the memo. Great season with a D- tank effort.
 
No one would even remember this game come draft time. But it’s possible we miss out on a target because of 1 inconsequential win.
how? even if the Wizards lose today they are still at 8 as we split the series and we have much better stats than they do for the tie breaker, even if we lost to the Nuggets.
I get the argument, just don't think it will matter at all. how many times has a team that lost a coin flip if it came to that ended up moving up in the lottery instead of the team that was one pick ahead before the drawing? I think its not a big deal when the % are all bad after the top 4 anyway. If we wanted a good shot at Wemby we would have had to sent Don and Rudy to the Rockets and Spurs
 
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